Antino made a powerful statement at the Gold Coast on Saturday, proving he can stretch beyond a mile with an emphatic victory in the Group 2 Hollindale Stakes (1800m), delivering trainer Tony Gollan a result to match his long-standing faith in the gelding’s staying credentials.
The six-year-old, who won the Group 1 Toorak Handicap over a mile last year, turned the Hollindale into a one-act affair, bolting in by 3-1/2 lengths against a quality field.
It was only his second time racing beyond 1600m, his first attempt being a well-beaten 10th in the Five Diamonds last November. But Gollan always believed Antino had more to offer over longer distances.
“I have never really trained him to get a trip until this prep,” Gollan said. “I always had him pinned as a miler, but we’ve put in all the groundwork with him from the minute he got back from Hong Kong.”
“We might dare to go to the Q22 with him after the Doomben Cup. I felt like it would be remiss of me not to test him over a trip and allow him to be a stayer, because his pedigree suggests this sort of trip should really suit him.”
Antino is now the $4 second pick for the upcoming $1 million Doomben Cup, with Pride Of Jenni currently the $3.50 betting favourite for the May 24 feature.
Saturday’s win, at $9 odds, brought Antino’s record to 12 wins from 25 starts and pushed his career earnings beyond $2.5 million. Fawkner Park ($19) finished second, a half-length ahead of Kovalica in third, while Buckaroo—sent out favourite at $3.80—faded to finish 10th, nearly 18 lengths off the winner.
Blake Shinn, reunited with Antino for the first time since their Hong Kong Mile attempt, was full of praise for both horse and trainer following a well-executed front-running ride on the rain-affected surface.
“We had to come up with a plan to try to win the race, I trust this horse and I have a lot of confidence in Tony as a trainer,” Shinn said.
“He told me it’s the fittest the horse has ever been, he told me to ride the horse as he likes to be ridden and keep him comfortable and balanced, and fortunately it paid off.”
The Hollindale was one of the last events run before the Gold Coast meeting was abandoned due to worsening track conditions, with the final race, the Bat Out Of Hell, called off.
With Antino now on track for major Brisbane features, punters can keep up with the latest odds and promotions via our full betting sites list.
